


Tangled, Tangled (Barbatos x Reader)

by sondepoch



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Angst with a kinda happy ending, Control, F/M, Implications, Kinda Wholesome, M/M, Referenced Smut, Separation, Short, True Love, angsty, desperate love, diavolo's dad is a dick, implied sex, king and servant dynamics, power abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26707957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sondepoch/pseuds/sondepoch
Summary: True devotion can only be bought with love. And the only person Barbatos will ever love is you. Unfortunately, the Demon King demands absolute allegiance from all his subjects, and he keeps Barbatos loyal by holding you hostage.After a century of separation, though, the butler's good behavior is rewarded.~Oneshot
Relationships: Barbatos (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Barbatos/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 182





	Tangled, Tangled (Barbatos x Reader)

True devotion can only be bought with love.

Fear is the second-best contender. It is amazing, the lengths a man will go to out of fear. And hatred—hatred is nearly as compelling. And then there's rage. Rage and fury and deception. All brilliant ways to sway the weak, to earn followers, to gain rapport among those who otherwise would do differently.

But true devotion can only be bought with love.

Something the Demon King knows all too well.

"You may rise, Barbatos." The man arches a bored eyebrow at his butler, drumming his fingertips aimlessly against the throne. "Speak. Why have you requested a formal audience with me?"

"This is formal business, your grace." Barbatos holds his gaze level against the ground, not daring to look upon his master. "I did not want to waste your private time with my personal issues."

"You only wished to waste my public time, is that it?" The Demon King chuckles, the sound echoing through the throne room. "Very well. The hours I set for meetings are open to all. I suppose that includes even you, Barbatos."

"Thank you, your grace."

"What do you wish to speak with me about?"

"The date, your grace."

"The date?" An irritated confusion crosses the Demon King's face at that, and a small part of Barbatos's heart falls. He had hoped that the king would at least remember, but it seems that he will need to explicitly ask for it.

"It has been one hundred years, your grace, since the last...ahem. I was hoping that you might permit me to celebrate another century of my loyalty."

A glimmer of understanding falls into the Demon King's eyes, and Barbatos swallows nervously, praying that the man is in a good mood. It certainly would not be the first time he has been dismissed of this single pleasure because the Demon King felt like torturing him.

"To celebrate a century of your loyalty, eh?" The Demon King frowns. "You make it sound as if there might come a century where you _aren't_ loyal to the crown."

"Of course not," Barbatos responds swiftly. "My oaths are for eternity. My loyalty to you and your cause will never fade. It's merely that..."

"Our agreement."

"Yes."

The throne room quiets, feeling unnaturally cold as if the stone walls are designed to suck away at the temperature, making all who pass within these walls as uncomfortable as possible. It takes all of Barbatos's strength not to shudder as the king studies him, his only solace being that the warmth will eventually return. That you are not out of reach. That the Demon King hasn't said no to Barbatos's request just yet, and that even if he does, he has a chance to find you after another hundred years.

"Beg."

Barbatos wastes no time in falling to his knees, his forehead touching the icy floor. He has no pride left, no dignity to be stolen. All that exists in his heart is the overwhelming desire for _you_ , a love so strong that it is the only thing keeping his heart beating.

"Please, your grace."

True devotion can only be bought with love.

"Please let me see my lover."

And the love Barbatos harbors for you burns brighter than all the flames in hell.

"I am your servant for eternity, I assure you."

He is devoted to you, to your touch, to your smile, to your taste.

"And I will only ever request this of you once every hundred years."

And so he is devoted to anyone who may permit him to see you.

"But I beg you to allow me this mercy."

Even if it is the man who stole you away in the first place.

Barbatos retains his posture, head practically glued to the floor as he waits. The desperation in his voice does not go unheard, and there's the sound of laughter from the throne, arrogant and cruel.

A sharp metal bounces off of Barbatos's head.

The demon's eyes widen. Not from the pain of the action, not because his head is now throbbing. But because that is the key to your room.

Because the king has said yes.

"Rise, Barbatos. Take the key. I expect you to return it to me by noon tomorrow, and you cannot take your little friend out of their cage, but..."

Barbatos struggles to maintain his composure, no longer listening to the Demon King as he speaks. The butler is now wholly preoccupied with the key in his hand, with the fact that his master is dismissing him, with the knowledge that you are merely _minutes_ away, and all Barbatos needs to do is turn a key in a lock to be by your side.

The rush of adrenaline which travels through his body is exhilarating. The demon's strides are controlled as he exits the throne room, but the moment Barbatos steps into the halls that will take him to your room, he's sprinting, all thoughts of propriety thrown out the window.

It's the moment he's been waiting for ever since he left your room one hundred years ago—the moment he is always waiting for whenever he has to leave you at the Demon King's orders, sworn to never return until he has sufficiently proved his loyalty, something the king has decreed to be one hundred years of faithful service.

_Open, dammit._

Barbatos's actions are uncharacteristically sloppy as he shoves the key into the lock that bars your room, hating how stiff it is from lack of use.

"Open," Barbatos hisses under his breath, trying to use more force. "Just _open!"_

The demon slams his hand against the door, and suddenly, he doesn't know how he waited one hundred years for this. If the door doesn't stop blocking him from seeing you this instant, he's going to tear it to shreds, consequences be damned.

"Barbatos?" Your voice calls from the other end, slightly frantic. "Barbatos, is that you?!"

"The door!" He croaks desperately, trying to shove it open. "It won't—it won't—"

A sinking feeling takes root in Barbatos's stomach. What if this is a joke from the Demon King? What if he wasn't satisfied with Barbatos's service this century, and wants to torture him like _this_ , so close from the one person he cares for but still so far?

"I barred it!" He hears you shout from inside. The sound of moving furniture fills his ears, and then you're calling his name again. "Now, Barbatos! Try to open it now!"

The demon pushes. He pushes with all his strength. He pushes and he pushes and he pushes until tears of frustration are beginning to prick at his eyes, and then he loses all sense of control and he shifts into his demon form, horns manifesting.

He sinks his claws into the door, talons tearing at the steel, and in the face of his inhuman strength, nothing can stand in his way. The metal screams as it grinds against the floor but Barbatos forces it open all the same, the promise of _you_ on the other end only spurring his strength on.

It takes Barbatos all of two seconds to dart inside when the door is sufficiently open; two seconds before the metal screeches and the door is closed behind him.

But in those two seconds, his entire world has changed.

"My love," Barbatos breathes into your ear, holding you close against the ground. He does not know when he hugged you, or when he barreled into you with enough force to knock you both to the floor, or when you wrapped your arms around him in response. All he knows is that you're _here_ , and no one is taking you away from him just yet.

"Barbatos," You whisper, clinging to him. Your figure trembles and the demon feels a wetness in his shoulder. "Barbatos, I missed you so much—I don't—you don't know how much I missed you—"

"I missed you too, my love." Barbatos pulls your head from your shoulder, his thumbs brushing the tears away from your cheeks. "More than I can ever say."

He leans forward, capturing your lips in a sweet kiss that conveys his every emotion.

The two of you stay like that for a long time, completely unmoving. As if standing still will hold time back with you, giving you both longer to savor the moment. Giving you longer to savor this night. But however much you need each other's love, the need for air becomes overwhelming and Barbatos pulls his lips away from yours only to kiss you seconds later, refusing to lose a moment longer than he has to.

He wraps his arms around your waist slowly, stroking the skin there and savoring its softness. Its warmth. "Legs around me," He mumbles against your lips, and you comply instantly, wrapping your limbs around his figure as he lifts you and carries you to your bedroom.

It's hardly difficult for Barbatos to find the way there.

It takes him all of three minutes, an impressive feat given that the abode you reside within is practically a castle—but the Demon King's words were true. This is nothing but an extravagant cage, your presence in it a mere tool to keep the king's dog under control.

"Stay with me," You mumble into Barbatos's skin when he presses himself onto your bed. You layer open-mouthed kisses against his neck, slowly removing his clothing as he removes yours. "Stay with me tonight. And tomorrow. And the day after. The Demon King can't do anything if you refuse to leave."

"My love," Barbatos warns gently, squeezing your hand. "The Demon King can do _everything."_

"No, he can't," You argue. "You're a strong demon, Barbatos. He won't be able to hurt you, and—"

"He won't hurt me," Barbatos mumbles, frowning. He hates that he always has to go through this with you, that he always has to _say_ it. Then again, he can hardly blame you. A century of separation would delude him into thinking that rebelling against the crown was smart, if only he weren't reminded of its power every day. "He'll hurt _you."_

"No, he won't," You mumble, cupping Barbatos's cheeks. You force him to look at you, and his heart breaks a little when he does. Even as you're with him, you're far away. Already thinking of how he'll have to leave you tomorrow. How you'll have to wait another century, only for it to repeat. "He won't hurt me. If I get hurt—if I die, he has nothing to hold you loyal to him."

"My love," Barbatos whispers. "He will kill you and he will make me watch. Because he knows I will turn back time such that it never happens again, so he can eternally keep me at his side."

"But how..." There is an unspoken question in your eyes, a soft curiosity as to how Barbatos can possibly know anything about a man who holds nothing but secrets.

And then there is Barbatos's unspoken answer, the flash of a memory flickering in his eyes before he is kissing you once more, trying to forget the sight of your once-empty eyes and the foolery which ever made him think he stood a chance against his master.

"There has to be something," You whisper, clutching Barbatos's shoulders as his fingers continue to work against your clothes. "Love always finds a way. That's what all the books say. We have to be able to do _something_ to—"

"Shh," Barbatos hushes you, pressing his lips against yours. "Please, my love. I can make you no promises but for the present." Barbatos slides your underwear off. "So please do not think of the future."

"But Barbatos," You mumble desperately as he peppers kisses down your body. "I can't live through another century without...I just miss you so, so...please don't leave me...ah..."

The demon closes his eyes as he grips your hips, using his mouth the way you like best as he works your tongue along your nether regions. The sound of your moans does nothing but urge him onward, your fingers gripping his hair the way he's imagined on all those nights without you.

The demon takes his time with you. Ravishing your body as if he is a man starved. Latching his lips onto your skin at every instance, even as he sheathes himself inside and is at last one with you.

"I love you," He whispers into your ear hours later, when your bodies are finally tired and the night has grown older. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Barbatos." You hold him close, hugging him even as the two of you struggle to find your breathing, hearts returning to their normal pace together.

"Diavolo..." Barbatos clears his throat, taking a shaky breath and speaking only once he's positive his voice won't wobble.

"Are you calling another man's name while I'm in bed with you?" You flash a coy grin at Barbatos, and the demon doesn't bother suppressing the instinctive flush that crosses his cheek at your words. Your eyes are no longer clouded by desire as they were earlier, your voice having exchanged its desperate tone for one of adoration in the haze of such strenuous activities. But the demon can still see the undertones of longing behind your gaze, and even if you're no longer begging for him to stay behind with you, there's an unmistakable sadness in your eye.

"Diavolo will rise to the throne soon." Barbatos strokes your cheek with his thumb. "He suspects his father will take the Long Sleep by the end of the millennium."

"And?" You whisper, eyes wide. Eyes hopeful. Eyes desperate, because you don't know Diavolo the way Barbatos does, and you don't know if Diavolo will permit the two of you to be together.

"And Diavolo has promised to set you free when he rises to the throne."

The sob of relief that leaves your mouth at that tugs at Barbatos's heart. Your arms were already around him before, but now you're clinging to him, and you're desperately hugging and laughing and crying and trying to share your joy.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Barbatos!" Tears well in your eyes. "I can—I can eat _real_ food—something you've prepared and not that insufferable trash the Demon King sends me—and we can go out in public together—out—outside this cage of mine and into the _real_ Devildom—and we can—and we can see each other every night and—and—"

The happiness in your eyes falters.

"And there's a catch, isn't there?"

Barbatos nods gently. "Not a bad one. Diavolo is a just man. His only terms are that I pledge loyalty to him. The conditions of our bond will similar to what I share with his father...but he will only take you away from me if I do him wrong."

You sigh, seeing both the good and the bad of this situation.

"You will still be a collared dog."

"Perhaps," Barbatos muses. "But with you by my side, I will be happy. _We_ will be happy. And Diavolo is a man who listens to reason. He will be a good ruler. I will not need to go against him."

But you're still hesitant.

"Can't you convince him otherwise? He shouldn't need a hostage to keep you in line. And—and you've done nothing wrong! Why can't he just accept your loyalty to be genuine?"

"Because," Barbatos brings your hand to his lips, kissing your fingertips. "They are jealous of you, my love."

"Oh?"

"True devotion can only be bought with love. And I will forever be more devoted to you than I ever shall be to them."

Your lips quirk upward at that, a flash of amusement traveling through your eyes. You don't believe him for a minute; the sheer notion of _royalty_ being jealous of Barbatos's love for you is ridiculous.

"That sounds like a fancy way to tell me that things are complicated, Barbatos."

"What can I say? The ties that bind us are tangled, my love."

The demon sighs as you lay your head across his chest, your hands tracing abstract patterns onto his abdomen.

"I don't want to wait anymore," You whisper, pulling the demon closer. Barbatos can sense how you're already preparing to cling to the lingering warmth of the mattress when he'll have to leave, when you'll be left with the vague scent of your lover on your sheets and nothing more. "But I'll try."

_And that is all I can ever ask of you, my love._

Barbatos doesn't thank you aloud. He isn't thankful. This very situation is something he will never be thankful for, and there's nothing the demon can do but press a kiss to your forehead as the two of you wait in silence for the moment where he will have to leave. There is no solace, no comfort in the fact that you will soon be separated. Even the promise of Diavolo's ascension to the throne is faraway, and Barbatos cannot expect you to be hopeful for a day that will come after so many centuries of waiting.

"Close your eyes, darling."

The demon blinks, but your arm reaches up to caress his face, his eyelashes flutter closed.

"See, if we lay like this, we can almost pretend that the Demon King doesn't exist." A short laugh spills from your lips, a sound so beautiful that Barbatos wants to bottle it in a jar and listen to it for hours. "Almost...so stop frowning."

Your fingertips ghost over his lips, and the demon smiles on instinct.

"That's better," You drawl sleepily, wrapping your arm around his neck. "Someday, we really will be able to stay like this forever."

_That day cannot come soon enough._

Barbatos swallows thickly, knowing that he mustn't cry. That he cannot break in front of you. That while he is with you, he must be strong so that you have someone to lean on in your anguish.

But the more he thinks about how far away the future he desires is, the worse the pressure in his throat becomes. And the need to remain composed in your presence outweighs his desire to hold himself captive to the truth that binds him.

And so, for a few short hours, he allows himself this luxury.

And he forgets.

Forgets the king which is holding you here, forgets the prince who might set you free. Forgets the moonlight that illuminates you, forgets the bed that holds you. Forgets everything except the feel of your body next to his, your skin on his as he memorizes your figure to keep him company for all nights to come until he may see you again.

And when Barbatos closes his eyes like this, he can almost pretend that this night will last forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Word count: 3.1k
> 
> Notes: As I was writing this, there was an overwhelming urge to turn this into pure angst and have Barbatos open the door, only to see MC and Diavolo kissing or smth
> 
> Comment & Leave Kudos
> 
> Thank you for reading <3
> 
> I do not own the rights to Obey Me! or any of the characters within it.


End file.
